It is known to form a printing machine with a side wall with a sufficiently large opening to permit a re-lining apparatus to introduce a cover liner or the like over a printing machine cylinder through the opening in the side wall of the machine. German Pat. No. 470,937 describes an arrangement in which a support which retains an axial bearing for a printing cylinder can be dropped in the plane of the side wall of the printing machine after, previously, an auxiliary apparatus has gripped the stub shaft of the cylinder. This arrangement then permits feeding of a sleeve through an opening in the side wall of the printing machine over the shaft bearing. The arrangement is specifically provided for gravure printing machines. After the liner is placed on the cylinder, the carrier for the bearing is raised against the bearing, and the auxiliary apparatus then is removed.
Gravure printing cylinders, as well known, are retained in side walls of the printing machine in a fixed position, that is, they are not retained such that the axial position of the bearings can be shifted or moved. The referenced German Pat. 470,937 does not disclose anything with respect to possibly re-positioning the axial shaft position of the cylinder, and also of the bearing therefor.
Various types of printing machines, such s offset printing machines, have cylinders in which the axial position thereof is adjustable, for example by permitting selective engagement of a respective cylinder against another cylinder in the printing machine system. If it is desired to apply sleeves or cover jackets on printing machine cylinders which are adjustably located in the side walls, for example, and as is customary, within bearings which are eccentrically positionable, then the arrangement of the prior art cannot be used to ensure appropriate positioning of the cylinder after re-lining, for example.